The economy of Zimbabwe – once considered the breadbasket of southern Africa – has begun to turn around after a decade-long recession that saw a sharp drop in agricultural production, falling incomes and increasing food shortages. With some 70 percent of people relying on agriculture for their livelihoods, the strength of this sector is key to economic recovery. FAO has worked with the government to increase farmers’ uptake of conservation agriculture – a no-till system that increases yields while protecting fields from erosion, improving soil quality and mitigating the effects of drought. In its initial stages, conservation agriculture is more labour-intensive than conventional methods, so FAO has initiated a programme of training and demonstrations, and introduced laboursaving mechanical planters to win over farmers. As a result, Zimbabwe has seen “spontaneous adoption”, meaning farmers see gains on their neighbours’ farms and make the decision to adopt conservation agriculture. Today more than 300 000 Zimbabwean farmers are practising this method and have nearly tripled their production.